I like your thinking style! Unfortunately, Arthur’s vastly unsung illegitimate child (pre-Guenevere and *not* incestuous), most commonly known as Borre (other names include Loholt and Gwydre), was a less than stellar knight. Only good for getting captured or killed, depending on which version of the legend. Jac’s right, if that’s Borre (I hope it is!!!!), he’s out of action in seconds.

Another possibility–and not even illegitimate–is that Arthur was married first to a daughter of Vortigern and Rowena, who bore his son Cerdic, later King of Wessex. This marriage would be how Arthur became King of the Gewisse, possibly later seen in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms as Hwicce, one of the areas of Wessex, over by Gloucester and Bristol.

It hasn’t explained everything, yet, but we have found out many things, through this flashback/sword exposé:
– Arthur is impressed with the apparent peace between Dreamland and the Nightmare realm
– Arthur would like to show his enemies that this kind of peace is possible
– Nicodemus has seen too many previous human kings get corrupted by power and is worried that this would not work
– Nicodemus is becoming more and more disdainful of humans, and is starting to let it slip, from time to time
– This causes Arthur and Merlin to not trust Nick, and so continue their plan behind his back
– Years go on like this, where Arthur says nothing of his plans, while Merlin travels the world to gather information and figure out ways to cross the boundaries between the “real” world and Dreamland
– When Arthur reveals the amulet/pouch that can cross the boundaries between the two worlds, to act as a postal service, cracks appear in the veneer of polite obedience in the dragon
– Nicodemus seems to have rational reasons for not wanting more adult humans in Dreamland, nor have them merely communicate
– Nick rightfully points out that while Arthur wished to improve things for Camelot by his plans, he did not necessarily consider the ramifications this would have on Dreamland

From these, can deduce/extrapolate/speculate many things:
– Nick has apparently been growing uneasy for a long time
– He may or may not have been planning a contingency plan for some time
– Knowing what Nick has done since that time period, with all the rewriting of history, the pacts with the nightmare realm allowing for the kidnapping of children, and so on, we can see that even if his motives may have been good, at one point, either he was already bad, or at the very least, he let it all go to his head and turned bad along the way.
– It is possible (and we may yet find out) that if he had a contingency plan, it was not yet fully thought out, as he had hoped (perhaps) not to have to use it, and that he (somewhat) panicked into using it. By then, it would have been too late to reverse course without some MAJOR paradigm shift in the power structure (I doubt very much that Arthur would let Nick remain as advisor, after having been kidnapped, put under a spell, and then having been unspelled and offered apologies by Nick…)
– Realizing that, Nick may have sought to slowly cover his tracks (rewriting history) and just kept digging himself in deeper to where there was no turning back
– Arthur may mean well, but is somewhat naïve
– But not so naïve as to fully trust Nick

There is probably more, but I can’t think of them right now. Suffice to say that so far, we have seen motives being exposed on both sides, laying the groundwork for what will come next. So, far from “not explaining anything”, this has served to flesh out the characters, add depth to them, add some grey to a story that already was not quite so black and white.

Soon enough, we will reach the point where Nick’s treachery is exposed in full daylight, how he will cast a spell on Arthur, how people in Dreamland will react, and how Nick will react to their reaction.

So yeah, I’d say this is quite informative and, while not complete, does explain a lot as to how things may have gotten so bad.

that may just be a seasoned knight soldier’s shocked face. as for everybody elses shock look there probably hasn’t been enough time to register anything. All this action has taken up to only three seconds.

Merlin: “Sigh.. Are these the finest fighters they can send? What do they want from us anyway?”
Arthur: “Merlin, no time for contemplation. Some simple stick whacking will do, thanks.”
Percival: “Aarghh…”
Merlin: “Did he just say ‘Merlin, please cure me’ ? Because, you know, I can do that too.”
Arthur: “Merlin, I got three of them already, are you really waiting for me to finish them all?”
Merlin: ” Hmm, actually… yes I do.”

I’ll try that again with less sarcasm. It would make more sense if Percival saw the arrow and either stepped in the way, or pushed Arthur before getting shot. They were all off guard and walking slowly, so it seems like the attackers were aiming for Percival, which makes no sense.

Any medieval gamer, from D&D to the SCA can tell you, regular chain mail is one of the best targets, should you be shooting an arrow. In addition, Perceval was their best swordsman, and attacking Arthur that way was, perhaps, too dishonorable, not to mention less likely to succeed unless they killed him instantly.

Pigeon Forge, TN? I went to college very near there! The college was located in this “middle of nowhere” spot between Knoxville and Pigeon Forge (roughly). It’s beautiful up that way. *sigh* Makes me wish I was still in college (or in the USA, for that matter), so that I could go meet the author of my favorite webcomic. Aww. Well, have a stupendous time there. Check out the Smokey Mountains, if you can. I recommend the Chimneys.

it would make more sense reality-wise for the bandits to shout what they fight for (FOR FREEDOM! FOR ASLAN! FOR SCOTLAND! whatever their cause is) but writing-wise, it may not be important and would take the focus away from where Scott probably wants it.

HA! An arrow from the woods proves that humans are too barbaric and violent to be let lose in Dreamland.

Where ever humanity goes, destruction soon follows. Humanity MUST find that balance between individuality and conformity to find peace amonst themselves and the universe around them. Humans must stop thinking they DESERVE or have a RIGHT to go to new places. That sort of egotistical thinking is what destroys instead of preserves. How many times have we seen humans with ADOS(Attention Deficit – Oh Shiny!) or IMD (It’s Mine! Disorder)?

Humans only think of themselves and therefore do not deserve nor have a right to the dreamland realm.

Instead, use these humans as part of the treaty with the nightmare realm. Let as few of them in and use them to allow the nightmare realm to feed off their fears. And let only those select few who show signs of being better than the average human access to dreamland where they may live in peace with the other creatures and serve those creatures.

On a side note… in the middle panel, to me it kind of looks like the 2 guys that are turned away are just walking away. They may be watching for enemies from behind, but still, they look a little *too* relaxed. Also… shouldn’t someone go check up on Percival? Considering their swords are drawn, I don’t see anyone running to maybe where he would be.

Wow, I can’t believe my first post after reading this comic for so long is going to be this this post. -.- Geez.

Anyway, first off, I think you’re taking this story a tad too seriously. Arthur, Nicodemus, Dreamland, Camelot, and those raiders, except for maybe the pudgy one on the right, aren’t real.

That said, you want to be careful with throwing around the word right. Rights are philosophical concepts rooted in the idea that by virtue of existing and of their sapience they should be allowed the “right” to certain things as a matter of morality. Chiefly among these are the right to their life, their freedom, and the property they earn. By that definition they can’t take those rights from someone else either. Travel, so long as it doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s rights, is part of one’s freedom. Infringing would include traveling on someone else’s property. Assuming Dreamland did exist, the foulup is with their government for making a treaty that gave away other people’s right to freedom, in this case traveling to Dreamland, without their consent and thus not something that is theirs to give away.

Also, again, Percival being shot by an arrow doesn’t prove that humans in general are barbaric, just that our group of raiders aren’t opposed to using force to get what they want. In contrast, Arthur himself has most likely done the same thing, though he’s probably been nicer about it, to achieve what he wants.

Again, though, it’s a story. I very much doubt Arthur’s executive policies were a blip on Scott’s radar when he wrote it.

All true. I just like to pretend that its real. This sort of thing and books are one of the few “magics” left in this world. So when I get emotional over Percival getting shot, its not because I think it is real, but because this type of “magic” captures my imagination and draws me into the story.

I personally think the desire for peace at all costs is one of the most evil things I have ever come across. Peace with the nightmare realm, peace with unchivalrous enemies, or even “peace in our time” is naive at best and suicidal at worse. There is evil in the world and at time one must stand for what is good and fight evil.

History is a good proof, one need only look up Neville Chamberlain and see how “peace” at the cost of principles led us to six yeas of bloodshed that consumed millions of lives, instead of rising and fighting and deposing one very evil person.

Arthur should have plunge Dreamland war, if for the sake of its inhabitants, instead of letting this simmer and explode now much later, where the Nightmare realm has gotten stronger, and where Dreamland will pay a higher toll. And already from Nico’s retaliation, he has begun a campaign of destruction.

Anyone ever tell you, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions?” Being armed and ready to defend yourself from aggressors is one thing. But starting a war with people because, “We think they’re evil,” is something different entirely.

I think that both of you are right, it is evil to risk the lives of thousands to deny one fatal blow to the enemy, but also, you need to put into account that if you killed their leader, that the pawns’ rage would be increased ten-fold, and they might kill more of you then before. May I inject, however, that without wars, how would we live? It’s a sad sad truth, but if you think about it, our race has been at war ever since we can remember. I look up to the men and women that are willing to make this country a better place, but I hate how they try to earn it. I despise wars, yet I sadly cannot think of an alternative.